On Tuesday afternoon, I found online the "Official"map of the bus system for Brunei. Since we were headed for the US Embassy on Wednesday, I wanted to find out what buses we would need. According to the "official" map, all we needed was the #37 bus that leaves right from around the corner at the Maura bus parking lot. Just one bus and we would be there. When we got to the "station"(parking lot)the "conductor" for the bus line and as we boarded the #37 bus the "conductor" for bus line asked us where we were going. Once he heard the embassy, he told us we were on the wrong bus. We needed to go all the way to the main station and get either the #35 or #36 bus. That would take us there. Say what!!! I had a copy of the "official map" for the bus routes. I just knew he was wrong. He had to be. After all, I had "The Map"! Tracy, always the wise one in the family, dragged me to the "wrong" bus for the ride into town. I being the one with the map that knew he was correct sulked and sat there a bit pissed. I had THE map!! It couldn't be wrong--could it?

When we pulled into the main station(still pissed)I went other to the map at the station and ---hey, this is a different map!!!! What's with that!!! It told us to take the #35 or #36 bus. FINE! We boarded the #36 bus and after talking to the driver, he assured me that he did indeed go past the US Embassy. But, I had "the Official Map" and it had just been released in April of 2013!!! About 20 minutes later, he dropped us off at the Embassy. Our appointment was for 11:30 and it was only 10:30. We were greeted by Brunei security at the doors and after showing our passports, were let into the waiting room. Just like at airports, everything gets scanned(no shoes done though). Once cleared, we were the lead over a courtyard to another building. Doors were buzzed open as we made our way out of one room and into another. Click, click, click. Boy do they have security. The embassy was just completed in 2011 so it's state of the art for security(sort of). We were greeted at a window(bullet resistant glass and a narrow slot to put papers through). No touching here. We explained why we were there--info on Obama Care. First though, we asked if we could plug in our computer to get it recharged. He looked at me strangely and asked if we had our computer with us--Sure was my response. His was "you're not allowed to bring computers back here, they should have been kept by security at the front gate. He looked a miffed that we also had our cell phone even if it doesn't work in Brunei(it's my watch). So much for tight security at the embassy.

We don't live in the US and wanted to see what they could tell us about how to not pay for it. The two men behind the glass(really thick stuff too) had no real idea but asked what we knew. I told him what we had read and off he went to see what he could locate for us. He did explain that while they worked for the government, they were not "tax advisors" and not to rely on everything they said. They returned a short time later with a bunch of info(still have to read it). During the discussion, one of the senior staff at the embassy came up and again told us that they were not tax advisors(is this called "cover your butt" or what?). Very nice people though and while they really had no clue, they were also concerned that they hadn't thought about how it would affect the local expats that live in Brunei. They were going to have to investigate more and assured us they would send us any info they dug up. We got Passport renewal forms while we were there as ours expire in September of 2014. We figure to get then renewed when we are in Kuala Lumpur in a month or so.

Since the bus will only come to the embassy if there is some one on it, we hiked down to the bus stop at the bottom of the hill and caught another bus back to the main terminal. We had a bit of shopping to do. Our Revere Ware tea kettle had finally died. The seal on the bottom had gotten compromised after getting heated after the water had all boil away. We've been looking for one for a while and found a heavy duty stainless steel one at one of the local store during an earlier trip. Now it was time to get it. Well, we bought two. One for Tracy's tea water(much smaller) and a BIG 4 liter one to heat wash water for doing dishes. We grabbed some essentials(cereals) and headed for the local veggie market. Pretty much a waste of time once we saw that what they had there was lesser quality than in the bigger super markets. Got some onions and potatoes and grabbed a bus back to Maura where we caught the final bus back to the Yacht Club.

After taking a shore break at the yacht club for a quick drink(soda pop as Brunei is a "dry" country") we over looked the anchorage. Thirteen boats out on the water with maybe half having people on board. We ran into my contact at the yard that had the information about the part we need for our Mercury out board. Price for the part--$295 Brunei(about $232US). I'll bet you it doesn't cost more than $75 US back in the US but we aren't there so it's pay up or have a motor that doesn't like to run. We told our contact to let the dealer know we needed it and he said he would find out how long it was going to take to get in. We may find that out today. I'd sent emails to two different Mercury parts places I've used in the past back on Monday and have not heard back from either. So much for their "customer service". We finished out the afternoon having water downed wine and jalapeno stuffed olives in the cockpit as the evening storm clouds gathered around us. It started pouring about 2030 sounding like a big sprinkler had just gone off out side our boat and it continued to rain till after midnight.

Today, odd jobs around the boat. Tracy just scrapped the calcium deposits out of the two toilets on board. Sure sounds like fun doesn't it?

The picture today is of the backside of the Empire Hotel we visit a couple of days ago.